Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding Claim 1, the limitation "the weight" in line 9. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Regarding Claim 2, the limitation "the inner space" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Regarding Claim 2, the limitation “slightly larger” in lines 2 and 5. The term “slightly” is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “slightly” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention.
Claims 3-10 are rejected by virtue of their dependence upon a rejected base claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-10 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 1, the closest prior art Hulburt et al (US 7022920 B2) discloses collapsible scale with a support structure having a first support member and a second support member connected to the first support member between a collapsed position and an extended position. A plurality of platform segments on the support structure. A load sensing apparatus is mounted to the support structure and is adapted to provide an output signal of the full weight of an associated object.
Chen et al (US 20040227331 A1) discloses a multi-functional wheelchair which comprising a seat with which can move transversally with a back cushion, two armrests at two sides of the seat, and two front wheels and two rear wheels below the seat. The height of the upper frame is adjustable by a push-and-brake device and the supporting frame. Another push-and-brake device is installed between the chair back and the footrest so that the chair back and the footrest can interact with one another.
The prior art alone or in combination fails to explicitly disclose a retractable multi-shaped scale, including a retractable part, the retractable part includes a fixed platform, two opposite sides of the fixed platform are respectively provided with a first rail and a second rail; a first retractable platform, the first retractable platform can accommodate the fixed platform, and can slide along the first rail; a second retractable platform, the second retractable platform can accommodate the first retractable platform, and can slide toward the opposite side of the first retractable platform along the second rail; a support part, for supporting the retractable part and transmitting the weight, the support part includes a plurality of support frames and a cross bar, two ends of the cross bar are connected to a set of corresponding support frames, one end of the support frames is pivotally connected to the bottom of the fixed platform; a base, located at the lower part of the scale, the other end of the support frames is pivotally connected to the base, and the base includes at least one weight sensor for obtaining the measurement results; a telescopic rod, one end is pivotally connected to the base, and the other end is pivotally connected to the cross bar, the telescopic rod is used to drive the support frames from horizontal to vertical, and to change the distance between the base and the retractable part; and an operation panel, the operation panel is connected to the weight sensor to display the measurement results of the weight sensor.
The remaining claims are allowable due to their dependency.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MIREILLE SANDRA SADATE-MOUALEU whose telephone number is (571)272-2862. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 0730-1700.
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/MIREILLE S SADATE-MOUALEU/ Examiner, Art Unit 2855
/PETER J MACCHIAROLO/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2855
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